2022 in review.
We began 2022 with just one foster in residence.
Ivy!
We’d gotten her as a “pregnant” cat, but it turned out she wasn’t pregnant (by the time 2022 started, we knew she wasn’t pregnant.) She was adoption pending, so we just needed to wait until she’d been spayed (we couldn’t get her scheduled ’til mid-January) and then she could go home.
In early January, I went out of town for nearly a week. My sister and I went to Flagstaff, Arizona – an area we’d never visited – and I took a true blog/social media break. (It was a lovely vacation, and I would happily go back there to visit any time.)
While I was out of town, Ivy went into heat in a big way, and she stayed there even after I was home again. I was thankful for my white noise machine, believe me.
Finally, off she went for her spay surgery.
On January 17th, I announced that Maddy Magnesium, mother to the Elements kittens, who had moved from here to Michelle’s house once she’d decided she was done with the Mom thing, was adopted along with another Forgotten Felines kitty, Walter.
On January 21st, Ivy was adopted and went home to join her new siblings – former fosters d’Artagnan and Porthos, and new sister Jessica (now Jolene.)
In the January 26th post, I introduced you all to our new foster, Wisteria.
Her story: she was a stray, and the animal control facility she came from said that she was pregnant. A Love & Hisses first: she was our second faker in a row. Of course, I didn’t know that at first, but then she developed some upper respiratory symptoms and needed a vet visit, so while she was there they checked to see if she was pregnant. She was not – and while I was on my way to pick her up, I talked to Brittany and instead of bringing Wisteria home I picked her up and dropped her off at Michelle’s house. Wisteria was already adoption pending, and Michelle was going to deliver her at a later point. So I left her with Michelle.
THEN I went to animal control, picked up another suspected-to-be-pregnant girl kitty. I dropped HER off at the vet, and they confirmed that THIS one was pregnant. I predicted 3 weeks before we’d see kittens.
Mimosa!
Time passed, Mimosa got wider…
She charmed us all.
The belly grew and got more and more active.
In the post for February 28th – while we were STILL waiting for kittens – I shared the DNA results I’d gotten for Charlie and Jake.
In that same post, I announced that unfortunately Franco Fondue – who’d been adopted in October – was being returned. He was too much cat for their other kitty, who had become scared of him and spent all her time hiding. (They ended up adopting a different Forgotten Felines kitty, and I believe it’s going really well.)
Finally, finally, FINALLY, in the early hours of March 2nd, Mimosa gave birth to 5 beautiful kittens. This happened the very same day, of course, that I was going to be driving Franco Fondue a couple of hours south to meet up with the lovely family who had adopted Christopher Chutney and Alfie Alfredo, and there’s no way I was canceling that trip! Fortunately, Mimosa had had all her kittens by the time I left so I wasn’t too worried about her.
I posted Mimosa’s birth story on March 3rd.
And also, that Franco Fondue went home. (You can see Franco and his brothers Christopher and Alfie on Facebook!)
YouTube link
The kittens nursed.
YouTube link
And the kittens hissed.
Then the kittens got their names: Kudzu, Mondo, Clover, Bramble and Hollyhock.
They turned 1 week old.
And then eyes started opening! First up was Bramble.
At 9 days old, everyone had at least 1 eyeball peeking through, but we had more eyeballs than not.
I moved the kittens from the cabinet where they’d been born, to the red crate, and Mimosa found it acceptable.
The kittens started leaving the crate.
They turned 4 weeks old, and in the March 31st post I reported that they’d started using the litter boxes.
Soon after, the kittens abandoned the crate.
They turned 6 weeks old, and expanded their territory.
Mimosa went off for her spay surgery at the end of April, and the kittens got to briefly meet Uncle Charlie.
The kittens became Churu fans.
In the May 11th post, I announced that Hollyhock and Bramble were ADOPTION PENDING and after their spay/neuter surgeries, would go to join Stompers!
On May 12th I posted that I’d put a onesie on Mimosa because her kittens were driving her nuts (my thought process being that if they couldn’t get to the milk bar, maybe they’d leave her alone.) Her kittens reacted by putting on their floof suits. Maybe because Mimosa looked like a sack of potatoes in that onesie.
In the May 17th post, I announced that Kudzu and Mondo were adoption pending TOGETHER, which left just Clover available. (A few days later, Clover was adoption pending!)
And on May 24th, Mimosa was adopted and went home to Nashville. She joined a family that included three other kitties, and her name has remained Mimosa. She was pretty much immediately comfortable in her new home!
With Mimosa out of the house, we were able to let the permanent residents go upstairs and meet kittens, if they wished.
On June 1st – the day they turned 13 weeks old – the kittens headed off for their spay and neuters.
Just a few days later, kittens started heading home – Bramble and Hollyhock went first (together, to the Atlanta area), and then Kudzu and Mondo went (together, to Nashville.) Clover’s adopters were waiting until after their vacation to pick him up, so we got a few more weeks to hang out with and enjoy him.
I posted “from birth to adoption” videos for all the adopted kittens, which you can see in this post.
With all the kittens except Clover out of the house in the nick of time, we were having work done on the inside of the house and it was easier on the workers if we were not in the way. We set up our computers in the garage, and then moved to a motel for several nights. The permanent residents stayed on the screened in back porch, and handled it surprisingly well. Clover turned into a total lovebug, and spent every night curled up with me.
Once we were home again and since Clover was out in the house, I did a deep clean of the foster room, and we installed our new fosters, Jocasta and the Outlander Clan.
Mama Jocasta, her 5 kittens (Jenny, Lord John Grey, Angus, Jamie and Marsali), a kitten who came from the same neighborhood but wasn’t her own kitten (Lizzie), three brothers (Fergus, Ian and Roger), and an add-in in pretty rough shape (Brianna.) The kittens ranged in age from 7 1/2 to 9 weeks.
They all had some form of upper respiratory gunk; Brianna and Roger had it worst, and so I kept them in the bathroom so I could keep a closer eye on them. After a few days of fluids and antibiotics, Brianna was MUCH better, and both kittens were able to join their foster mates.
On June 20th, I announced that Clover had been adopted and gone home. He joined former foster Athos (now Leo.)
The Outlander kittens met Churu, and they approved.
Angus.
After they’d been with us a few weeks and were doing well, the Outlander kittens were scheduled for their spay/neuter surgeries, and I started suggesting anyone interested should email Forgotten Felines.
Brianna, clearly feeling SO much better (and looking for trouble).
On July 1st, I announced that we had adoptions pending – Angus and Ian were being adopted together. Fergus was being adopted by a family with a kitty who needed a friend. And Lord John Grey was joining a home with a playful kitty already in residence as well.
The kittens went off for their spay and neuter surgeries, and came through them just fine. A few days later, on July 13th…
Lord John Grey was adopted and went home. To Seattle, Washington! To join former foster Canasta. You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
And then just a few days later…
Fergus was adopted and went home locally! He joined new kitty brother Kevin, and his name is now TJ.
Also…
Jamie was adopted and went home locally also. His name is now Jack-Jack, and he joins two kitties named Yuengling and Henri.
On August 1st, I announced that we had a very busy weekend. First…
Angus and Ian were adopted together. Angus became Obi, and Ian became Luke.
And THEN…
Marsali was adopted, joining a home with a slightly younger kitten already in residence. Her name is now Dolly Parton (she joined sister Janis Joplin).
And THEN…
Mama Jocasta was adopted! She was renamed Dulce, and joined a home with other kitties in residence.
The other fosters from that litter – Lizzie, Roger, Brianna and Jenny – went to Petsmart, where they settled in.
With the foster room empty, I scrubbed it down, and our next foster family moved right in. I introduced them in the August 2nd post.
Mama Kim Wexler and her kittens Francesca, Gustavo, Ignacio, Lalo and Saul. At the time, Francesca was believed to be the only girl.
A bunch of cuties, is what we had.
On August 8th, I introduced you all to the new add-in: Mike!
Mike was found on a hay bale (left there by his mama), screaming his little head off. He needed a mama, so he came to us and Kim accepted him without the slightest bit of hesitation. I bottle fed for a few days, but he was much more interested in nursing. I did supplement feed from time to time, but for the most part he got sustenance from Kim.
6-kitten pie!
On August 15th, I announced that Roger – who had gone to Petsmart at the end of July with Lizzie, Jenny and Brianna – had been adopted!
He joined a family that included new kitty brother Wilson, and his name remains Roger.
Kim’s kittens turned 3 weeks old (Mike 2 1/2 weeks), and started to look like miniature kittens.
Just a few days later, they abandoned the crate AND started using the litter boxes!
No one poops alone.
At the very end of August, I had sad news about a former foster. Luke (formerly Ian), who had been adopted along with Obi (formerly Angus) at the end of July, had passed away from FIP. His family was heartbroken of course – but I know that Luke/Ian was very much loved every moment he was with them.
On September 5th, I announced that Lizzie had been adopted. She was adopted with another Forgotten Felines kitten, Snickers.
On September 9th, I let y’all know that we’d had yet another mis-sexing incident. Ignacio/Nacho was not, in fact a boy. She’s a girl! I changed her “official” name to Ignacia, but her nickname remains Nacho.
On September 12th, after a month and a half at Petsmart, Brianna and Jenny were adopted – TOGETHER! – and went home to Louisville, Kentucky. Jenny is now Cricket, and Brianna is Filly, and those girls are SO loved.
Kim went for her spay surgery on September 20th, and came through it just fine.
The kittens got jobs at the taco truck, but turned out not to be particularly exemplary employees.
The kittens lined up.
Left to right: Lalo, Saul, Nacho, Francesca, Gus and Mike.
One of my favorite pictures of the year (I just regret that it turned out so blurry) – Nacho leaping on an unsuspecting Gus.
On October 3rd, I announced that Lalo and Gus were adoption pending – TOGETHER. The family who adopted Angus/Obi and Ian/Luke (Ian/Luke passed away of FIP just a month after they adopted him) came to meet Lalo, but ended up falling in love with Gus too, and decided they wanted them both.
The kittens met the feather teaser, and Nacho unleashed her crazy eyes.
While Kim was at the vet, the kittens got to have a very brief meet & greet session with Uncle Charlie.
Gus wanted to be friends; Nacho just floofed and stared.
In the October 19th post, I updated you all as to what was going on with mama Kim Wexler. Basically, after several vet visits, she was diagnosed with Glomerular Disease – a kidney disease. The good part: it’s at the very beginning stages and she isn’t having clinical signs. It’s not slowing her down at ALL. I said that if she wasn’t adopted, she would stay with us as a long-term foster (while fervently praying that someone would adopt her.)
The kittens turned 12 weeks old.
The boys went off for their neuter surgeries on October 21st, and came through just fine.
I tossed a toy, Francesca jumped a million feet high, and then I realized that like Nacho, she’s a jumper.
Halloween came and went; the kittens (most of them) got Halloween-type pictures taken, and I shared a ton of Halloween shots from previous years in this post.
The girls went off for their spay surgeries and came back just fine.
In the November 4th post, I introduced y’all to Trixie and Rocco – two cats who belong to someone else in the neighborhood, who have pretty much taken up 3/4-time residence on our front porch. I guess the location and food is better! Fred has been letting Trixie into the house to hang out for short periods of time, and we’ve had them vetted, so I’m sure it won’t be long ’til they’re on our porch 24/7. THIS MAKES ME GRUMPY.
Trixie.
Rocco.
We had a kitten line-up.
From left: Nacho, Francesca, Saul, Gus, Lalo and Mike.
And then Lalo and Gus went home!
Lalo is now R2, and Gus is now Darth.
And then there were 4.
Nacho, Saul, Francesca and Mike.
But then I announced that Mike was adoption pending and would be going home in a week and a half!
The kittens crammed themselves into the crown bed.
On November 21st, Mike was adopted and went home. All the way to Arizona!
Where he joined a family that includes former fosters Slapjack and Rummy (Canasta’s kittens) and big brothers Cheeto and Franklin. You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Nacho continued to show off her leapin’ moves.
We had Thanksgiving.
(There were a bunch of pictures of permanent residents wearing that same hat in the post for November 24th.)
Time marched on, the kittens got bigger, I started to wonder if ANYONE would ever be interested in adopting Kim.
I did some kitten organizing.
On December 19th, I announced that finally we had AN ADOPTION PENDING on mama Kim Wexler!
As is often the way, after months of no interest, we got several serious inquiries one right after the other, so it took a little time to process applications and make a decision. Kim will be going home in just a bit over 1 week. We’re thrilled for her!
In the post for Christmas Day, I posted our holiday cards going all the way back to Mister Boogers in 2004 or 2005. And on social media, I posted a million zillion Christmas-themed pictures of the fosters, which you can see on the blog post for December 26th.
On December 28th…
Saul was adopted and went home! It was a pretty quick process from meeting to delivery (about 4 days, and only that long due to the holiday making it hard to check references.) He joined a family that includes kitty sisters Sophia and Sara.
And the post for December 29th introduced you all to our new fosters Cinnaspin (Cinna) the tortie, and Linzer (Linny) the snowshoe.
They are spending their days in the big bathroom and their nights in a cage in the dining room (it’s a big cage! They’re not crammed in there!) Once Kim goes home and Nacho and Francesca are either adopted (please please please let someone adopt these girls before Kim goes home!) or head off to Petsmart, Cinna and Linny will go into the foster room.
And that’s where we stand now: Kim is waiting to go home, Nacho and Francesca are waiting either for someone to come adopt them OR to go to Petsmart (they’ll be here with us until Kim goes home, at least), and Cinna and Linny are hanging out downstairs.
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We had a total of 28 fosters move through this year. We have two fosters – Kristi and Katia, who we fostered in 2018 – who are at Michelle’s house, still unadopted.
Kim is adoption pending (going home in a little more than a week), and there have been no inquiries about Nacho and Francesca as of yet.
We have fostered a total of 484 since 2005 (I got my spreadsheet fixed this year, so I know for sure the total! Yay, me!)
Here are the sweet faces of the fosters we had in 2022.
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The state of the permanent residents in 2022.
We started 2022 with 7 residents – Alice, Archie, Charlie, Dewey, Jake, Khal, and Newt. We’re ending the year with the same number – along with a couple of front porch cats who technically belong to a neighbor, but spend 75%+ time on our front porch eating the food we provide. We’ve had them spayed and neutered and are making sure they’re cared for in basically every way. They’re pretty much our cats, but I don’t have to like it – and I do NOT. (Not because they’re not perfectly nice cats, but because I didn’t particularly want 2 more cats.)
The cats are getting older, but are all in pretty good shape. Newt will be 18 this year (I said last year that he’d turn 16 in 2022, but I apparently cannot do math. He turned 17; he’ll turn 18 this year). Charlie, Trixie and Rocco will be 3 this year (the vet agreed that Trixie and Rocco are about 2 years old), but all the other cats are going to be 8 or older (Alice, Archie, Jake and Newt are all in double digits this year). We’ve got an aging population for real, and I hope very much that we end the year with the exact same cats we started it with (AND NO MORE.)
Here’s what they look like now.
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Former Foster Updates we received this year.
(Arranged, roughly, in the order in which we fostered them.)
Maggie: February 1st, May 26th, October 28th.
Toby (formerly Charming) & Sooty (formerly Jareth) – April 22nd.
Hook (Puff) and Flynn (formerly Kohle) : April 6th, June 16th, June 24th.
Jethro Tull and Thunderclap (TC) Newman – December 14th.
Regina Phalange: February 21st.
Patches (formerly Art Vandelay) & Periwinkle (formerly Bert Macklin) – May 2nd, August 17th.
Phoenix, Amber (formerly Ambercup) & Stardust: March 16th, April 29th, June 6th, June 22nd, July 5th, August 10th, September 7th, November 30th.
Piper (formerly Dynamo) & Freddie Purrcury (formerly Onion Ring): March 23rd.
Cooper (formerly Almanzo) and Henri – August 4th.
Carmelita and Bobby (formerly Funnel Cake) – December 5th.
Rocky (formerly Pablo) and Flint (formerly Diego) – May 10th.
Lola Bunny and Bugs Bunny – June 20th.
Oleander (formerly Constance) & Rhus (formerly Rochefort) – April 28th, June 17th, December 9th.
d’Artagnan & Porthos & Ivy – February 9th, July 11th, Javier) & Fizgig (formerly Alejandro) – May 10th.
Winter – August 2nd.
Kiki (formerly Calamity Jane) – August 2nd.
Peppa (formerly French Fry) and Hush Puppy – November 29th.
Betty (formerly Fizzbin) – January 25th, April 20th, September 21st.
Mimosa: May 24th, June 3rd, August 1st, October 19th, November 14th.
Kudzu & Mondo: June 6th, September 5th, December 1st.
Bramble & Hollyhock and Stompers : May 4th, June 13th, October 18th.
Axel (formerly Clover) & Leo (formerly Athos) : June 28th, September 2nd.
Dolce (formerly Jocasta) – August 16th.
TJ (formerly Fergus) – July 21st, August 2nd, August 18th, September 26th, November 22nd.
Jack-Jack (formerly Jamie) – August 1st, August 19th, September 1st, October 26th, December 7th.
Obi (formerly Angus) and Luke (formerly Ian) – August 1st, and R2 and Darth (formerly Lalo and Gustavo) – November 15th.
Dolly Parton (formerly Marsali) – August 2nd.
Roger – August 23rd.
Cricket and Filly (formerly Jenny and Brianna) – September 12th, December 13th.
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I’m just going to go ahead and cut and paste what I’ve said for the past several years in a row because it still holds true.
As we begin this new year, I’d like to take a moment to thank you all for reading. I know that a lot of you say that you like to start (or end) your day at Love & Hisses, reading about the kittens and the permanent residents. You give me (and each other) advice, ask and answer questions, fall in love with the kittens we foster and our permanent residents, and grieve with us when we lose someone. I started this site because I can’t shut my face about cats and kittens, and to have y’all enjoy the pictures and stories I post means more than I could ever begin to express. I appreciate each and every one of you, whether you’re here every day or just come by every now and then. We’ve built an amazing community here, and I certainly could never have done it alone.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so very very much!
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Previously
2021 in review.
2020 in review.
2019 in review.
2018 in review.
2017 in review.
2016 in review.
2015 in review.
2014 in review.
2013 in review.
2012 in review.
2012: No entry.
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: This is going to be hard – it always is – but I have to trust that they’ll end up in fantastic homes with people who spoil them as rotten as we do.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing this blog with us. It’s been a bright spot in my day for soooo many years now, and I look forward to many more!
I do love reading about your kitties and all their adventures. Our household has 3 kitties, but none of them are “mine” and I do miss having a soft, furry friend. But I am getting older and I don’t want to adopt a pet that will likely outlive me, so thank you so much for allowing me into your home via the internet, to love and enjoy yours. Happy New Year to you, Fred and all the kitties!
Happy New Year Robyn and Fred! Thank you for posting the year in review. I especially like to read the updates from former fosters. Apparently I missed a few earlier this year. And special thanks for all you and Fred do for the kitties. Cheers!
Happy New Year, you have been bizzy!
Happy New Year Robyn, Fred, permanent resident kitties, and all the fosters still here and to come to your home. May this year being you all lots of joy, happiness, peace, and purrs. 🙂
Don’t forget “Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit”! I didn’t see that in your Facebook page or blog post.
And may it be a safe and happy year for everyone!
Happy New Year! But…Trixie and Rocco are so *cute*…
Wow, what a wonderfully furry year you had! Happy New Year, may it be filled with even more fur! Foster fur, though the porch kitties are awfully cute… 😉
Thank you so much for the wonderful year in review. I needed catching up for the last few months while concentrating on some outdoor strays, a bunch of really needy possums that we’re feeding outdoors, along with our lovely 7 indoor rescue furry kids! Love what you do and your brilliant humorous and loving posts. Big fan!
Happy New Year to you all.
I am in awe each year with the all of time and effort you put in to not only the fostering and blogging, but then how you winnow down 12 months into a single post. You, Madam, are AWESOME. And don’t your forget it !
And yay for a year with ending with all the permies you started with!